Corset.



PATENTBD JULY 10, 1906.

B. KULL.

CORSET.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.10. 1906.

NVENTOH W/TNESSES:

mm2 z, 'A FR/v5 y BERTHA KULL, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CORSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Application filed January 10, 1906. Serial No. 295,342.

To f'r//Z whom/ t 77am/ concern:

Be it known that I, BERTHA KULL, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvementsin Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, generally speaking, relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in corsets, more particularly in the type of corsetsinvented by me and patented in Letters Patent of the United States No.755,888. By means of these improvements I gain better and moresatisfactory support for the breasts and back and abdomen of the wearer.It is particularly useful where support without undue compression anddistortion of the organs is'desired, and is therefore particularlyadapted for use as a maternity garment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of my invention.Fig. 2 is a perspective of a modified form of breastplate and Fig. 3 isa similar view of the form of breastplate used in Fig. 1, a textilecovering being shown in place.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings:

In the corset, 1 2 is a breastplate, which may be made of hard rubber orsimilar material, but I prefer to use aluminium, as the same issufliciently pliable to adapt itself to the desired contour and is lesslikely to injure the wearer by impact or be destroyed by perspiration orother results of wear. Said breastplate is of the form shown in which itis intended to be located below the breasts, being curved, as shown, tofit beneat-h the same and by its upwardly and outwardly curved portionsto support the breasts from below.

3 3 are the wingextremities of the plate, which are formed, as shown, tobear up and support the outer sides of the breasts.

4 is the upwardly-extending front piece, of similar material tobreastplate 2 and preferably integral therewith. Said front piece 4extends up between the breasts of the wearer and is curved to conform tothe wearers body, so as not to distort the clothing. It serves toprovide means for attaching the breast portion of the corset to theback-sup porting portion and also prevents the breast portion or platefrom being tilted downe wardly by the weight of the breasts.

5, Fig. 3, is a cover of cloth or any suitable textile material, whichmay be readily slipped over the breastplate and front piece to beremoved for washing and replacement when soiled. Said covering 5 is ofthe generalcontour indicated in Fig. 3 and forms pockets or pouches forthe breasts proper of the wearer, wereby the breasts are sustained and,contained by the textile cover, while the vproper shape of the pocketsis maintained by the contour of the plate 2. It is thus evident thatthere Ais no contact directly between the body and the permanent portionof the breast-support, so that when soiled the cover may be replaced bya fresh one, and the corset proper is not affected. I have marked thepocket proper', formed by the material of the,

cover 5 6, as in Fig. 3.

7 7 are twin side and back supporting portions giving support to thebody of the wearer where the same is needed and harmless. These portions7 7 are made of textile material and preferably stifl'ened by means ofbones or steels 8 8, as shown. Said side and back pieces are preferablyunited at the back by means of two or more horizontal connectingbands 99, preferably of elastic material, thus allowing of great ease andfreedom of motion.

10 10 are shoulder-straps extending from the top of the back-pieces 7 7over the shoulders of the wearer and adapted to attach to the lateralprojections 11 11 of the front piece 4 by means of buttonholes 12 12,engaging studs 13 13. I have shown sections of elastic material 14 14interposed in said shoulder straps to allow of greater freedom ofmovement.

15 15 are portions of straps extending from the back-pieces 7 7 underthe arms of the wearer and attached to studs 13u 13 on the exterior ofbreastplate 2 in a manner similar to that illustrated in connection withthe shoulder-straps 10 10. I also prefer to interpose sections ofelastic material in said straps 15 15 for greater freedom of movementonthe part of the wearer.

16 16 are abdomen supports or bands attached at their rear to thebackpieces 7 7 and adapted to be joined at the front of the body by anyconvenient means, such as the straps and buckles illustrated. The ofliceof these abdominal bands is to hold the backpieces 7 7 firmly in place,and thus maintain the entire corset in proper position. The bands ortapes of the wearers garments may be placed around these abdominalbands,and

at the rear of the corset are shown two or more IOS IIO

loops 18 18, through which may be run the` waistband of thehose-supporters, thus doing away with the usual dragging effect when thesame is attached to the corset in front only.

17 is a flange extending horizontally along the lower edges of thebreastplate 2 to strengthen the same, and thus permit economy inmaterial and weight. Said ilange is too slight to disarrange the contourof the wearers garments.

In Fig. 2 I show a slight modilication of the breastplate in which theportions 22L 2a are provided, connecting the wing portions 3 at the topto the portion 4, thus outlining in the material of the plate thegeneral contour of the breast-pockets, which are themselves the form ofthe textile material 5. By this means the desired shape is closelymaintained at all times.

By making my pockets of textile material easily replaced I obtain a softand yielding material neXt to the body, while the breastplate itselfmaintains the correct shape of the pockets without injuring the breasts.The front piece 4 prevents sagging of the breast portion, and thusmaintains the corset in proper position. The back portion properlysupports the sides Iand back of the wearer Y' where the same is needed,and theelastic connection between the parts allows of freedom 'ceases ofmovement. From lthe above the value of my invention is clearly evident.

What I desire to claim is- 1. In corsets, a back-support and abreastsupport attached thereto, said breast-sup port consisting of arigid skeleton-frame breast-piece of substantially Athe contour shownand a rigid upwardly-extending member attached thereto, and a coveringof teX- ti le material for said breast-support forming the breastpockets, substantially as described.

2. In corsets, a back-support composed of two side-supporting sectionsconnected by elastic means, an abdominal-support attached to said sicle-supporting sections, arigid breast-support consisting of ahorizontal skeleton frame of substantially the contour shown and anupwardly-extending portion integral therewith, and a covering of textilematerial for said breast-support adapted to be extended by said skeletonframe to form the breast-pockets proper, substantially as described.

Signed at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, this 5th day of January, 1906.

BERTHA KULL. Witnesses:

J. BOYD DUFF, EDWARD A. LAWRENCE.

